Mafia Cops | Murder For Hire | 2

0:00American scandal uses dramatizations that are based on true events. Some elements, including dialogue, might be invented, but everything is based on historical research.

0:20It's a sweltering summer's day in 1986, outside the 19th Hole Bar in Brooklyn. Anthony Gaspipe Casso stands on the sidewalk in the shadow of the bar, deep in conversation with three associates from the Lucchese crime family. Short but powerfully built, 44-year-old Casso is a made man and one of the Lucchese's top enforcers. He and the other men have serious business to discuss. The boss of the family has been arrested by the police, and it looks like he might be going away for a long time. But their conversation falls silent when the owner of a nearby Chinese restaurant rushes up. He's agitated and tells the mobsters that a few drunk guys have brought a Doberman into his place, and the dog is terrorizing his customers.

1:05The mobsters send one of their men from the bar to take care of it, and a few minutes later, he emerges from the restaurant with the two troublemakers and their dog.

1:17But the Doberman is still barking and snarling, jumping up at the Lucchese man. Casso recognizes the kid holding the leash. He's a tall, red-headed guy named Jimmy Heidel. He's worked for Casso before on a few jobs. So Casso turns to his associates. All right, excuse me, fellas. I gotta take care of this. Casso walks over. Hey, Jimmy, you spoiling people's lunches now? Heidel turns around, and Casso can tell from his swimming eyes that he's very drunk. I just wanted to eat lo mein gas, and they threw me out. That's not what the owner says. Now why don't you take your dog and go sober up someplace else?

1:55The dog jumps at Casso. And control your animal, Jimmy. Getting people upset. It's not good for business. Well, I don't care about his business. And what about mine? I said hold that dog. We were just trying to eat. Get out of here, Jimmy. Hey, I'm just standing here, Cass. It's a free country. Casso studies Heidel, his expression unreadable, and the dog still barking between them. Then he turns around and strides back toward the bar. By now, the commotion has drawn a small crowd outside the 19th hole, but they clear a path when they see Casso coming. Casso marches over to the bar and pulls out a semi-automatic pistol and silencer from underneath the counter.

2:35Then he heads back outside, screwing on the silencer as he goes. Without saying a word, he marches back toward Jimmy Heidel and his dog. Heidel's eyes flick to the gun. What, you gonna shoot me out here on the street? No, not you. Casso raises the gun, and too late, Heidel realizes it's not pointed at him. He tries to pull his dog back. Heidel stares in shock. The leash suddenly limp in his hand. You shot my dog. I told you to control it. You shot my dog? You're lucky it wasn't you. Now pick up your dog and get out of here. It's bleeding on my sidewalk. Anthony Casso goes back inside the bar as if nothing has happened.

3:18He puts the pistol away and then pours himself a drink. No one asks him any questions. They know better. But as Casso sips his whiskey and soda, though, one of his men comes over to warn him that Jimmy Heidel isn't stable. He'll be out for revenge. Casso shrugs. He's not worried. Even threatening to come after a made man like him is a death sentence.

3:43I heard a rumor that the CIA poisoned my granddad. Gordon Banks, the world's number one goalkeeper. It happened in Mexico, supposedly, at the World Cup in 1970. Sounds crazy? I'm an investigative journalist on the hunt for evidence. We needed to do some extraordinary things to counter the Soviets. This is Foul Play, an unbelievable tale of sports, spies and family secrets. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts or early and ad-free on Audible. I'm Raza Jafri, and in the new season of The Spy Who, we go back in time to meet Benedict Arnold, the spy who betrayed the American Revolution. As America fights for freedom from Britain, Arnold emerges as one of the rebels' greatest generals.

4:26But when his loyalty is pushed to the limit, he turns spy and devises a plot to shatter the rebellion and make George Washington a prisoner. Follow The Spy Who now, wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also listen to the full season of The Spy Who Betrayed the American Revolution early and ad-free on Audible.

4:51From Audible Originals, I'm Lindsey Graham, and this is American Scandal.

5:15In the mid-1980s, New York's mafia families still had a powerful grip on organized crime in the city. They controlled unions and major construction projects, and they made millions of dollars from illegal gambling and loan sharking. Through bribes and extortion, they had government inspectors and politicians in their pockets. And they even had allies in the very institutions that were supposed to stop them. Two of those insiders were New York Police Department detectives Stephen Caracapa and Louis Eppolito, working through an intermediary named Burton Kaplan. They started out by selling confidential police intelligence to the mob.

5:51But when Kaplan needed to get rid of a troublesome business associate, Caracapa and Eppolito helped track him down and snatch him off the street. It wouldn't be the last time they'd help criminals make people disappear. And soon, it would be the turn of Anthony Gas Pipe Casso to call on their unique services. This is Episode 2, Murder for Hire.

6:16It's September 1986 in Brooklyn, New York. The cold blast of an air conditioner hits Anthony Gas Pipe Casso as he steps inside an ice cream parlor. He's on his way to meet up with Jimmy Heidel, but he has some time to kill first, so he's decided to stop for a frozen treat. Heidel seems to have smartened up his act since Casso shot his dog. Just like Casso thought, he hasn't dared mention the incident to him again, and now he's even come to Casso with a business proposal. Heidel says he's acquired a large quantity of stolen blank checks he'd like to sell. He wants to cut Casso into the deal in exchange for his help.

6:53Casso steps up to the ice cream counter. He gets two scoops of strawberry soft serve, and then he heads back to his car and drives off, with the ice cream in one hand and the wheel in the other. The restaurant where the meeting is to take place is just a few minutes away, and he parks a sedan outside. But while Casso finishes his ice cream, he hears a car pull up slowly alongside him. The engine idles, and something about it feels off. Casso looks up just in time to see a shotgun pointed at him through the window. He throws himself down as the gun goes off and the window shatters, leaving the floor of his car covered in glass as well as strawberry ice cream.

7:31Casso feels a sharp pain. He touches his hand to his neck and it comes away covered in blood. He's been shot. Suppressing hard on the wound, he reaches over with his other hand to open the passenger door and then scrambles out onto the sidewalk. Using his car for cover, Casso crawls to the entrance of the restaurant. He pushes through the door and staggers to his feet. Shocked diners look up at him from the floor where they've taken cover. He ignores their stares and pulls a cloth off one of the tables, sending glasses and plates crashing to the ground. Casso presses the tablecloth to his neck to stop the bleeding.

8:06Then he hurries toward the back of the restaurant, lurching between tables. He barges through a door and down some steps to the basement kitchen. There, Cooks stare in amazement as Casso stumbles past them. He makes straight for the walk-in freezer. He hauls open the heavy metal door and shuts himself inside. No one's going to get him there. Casso then slumps down against the wall, his breath fogging in front of him. His neck and shoulder throb, and the tablecloth he took from upstairs has already soaked through. He's lost a lot of blood, and the shock and cold are making him shiver uncontrollably.

8:41His teeth begin to chatter, so he clamps his jaw shut, trying to stay in control. He's survived worse than this. He knows he'll live, but he's determined that the men who tried to kill him won't. It's only when he's sure that the coast is clear that Casso emerges from the freezer. The police eventually catch up to him at the hospital. They question him at his bedside after he's been stitched up, but Casso doesn't talk. He may be the victim of an attempted hit, but he's also a member of the mafia, and wise guys keep their mouths shut. He says he knows nothing about organized crime and claims he doesn't have a clue why anyone would want him dead.

9:18The police leave frustrated. Casso may not have offered the officers any help, but as soon as he's out of the hospital, he plans to do some digging of his own. And he doesn't have to do it alone. The arrest of the Lucchese boss back in the summer created vacancies higher up in the organization, and Casso was one of the beneficiaries. He was promoted to underboss, and now men who used to outrank him are taking his calls. So there are plenty of people on the streets who are eager to help someone like him get revenge. Informants soon come forward with a list of names, and one stands out. It shouldn't be a surprise to Casso that Jimmy Heidel was involved in the shooting.

9:58After all, he knew where Casso would be that day, and Casso did kill his dog. Still, Casso struggles to believe that Heidel would take a shot at him on his own. Mafia families have a way of doing things, and killing a made man without permission isn't one of them. It's a death sentence for the man who pulls the trigger. So Casso begins to think that if Heidel did do it, then someone else must be behind him. And in Casso's eyes, there's just one obvious set of suspects, the Lucchese family's arch-rivals, the Gambinos. The Gambino's current boss killed his predecessor to get his job, so arranging a hit on Casso would hardly be beneath him.

10:36But still, it's not an accusation Casso can throw around without proof. The other mafia families won't stand for it, so he needs to be sure. It's at this point that one of Casso's associates, the businessman Burton Kaplan, makes a suggestion. He has friends in the NYPD who could look into the case on Casso's behalf. The two cops have helped Kaplan out in the past, and he knows they can be trusted. But Casso doesn't like the idea of relying on cops. Even if they are corrupt, they're still the enemy. But Casso also knows that as long as whoever backed Heidel's play is out there, he's in danger. So reluctantly, he tells Burton Kaplan to get in touch with his friends on the force.

11:15And a few days later, Kaplan comes to see him at a bar in Brooklyn.

11:22He's carrying a manila folder and grinning from ear to ear. But Casso frowns. What are you so happy about? Kaplan slaps the folder down in front of Casso. Oh, you're going to want to take a look at this gas pipe. Yeah, courtesy of New York's finest. Casso picks up the folder and opens it. It's full of crime scene photos and police paperwork relating to Casso's shooting. There's the license plate of a car he was shot from, as well as a list of suspects. Kaplan leans close. What'd I tell you? I knew they could help out. These sets of prints there that they found, you see? Casso glances over the page.

11:58Jimmy Heidel. Yep, and Nicky Guido. And Bob Barrett. You know, I got Jimmy a job once. A nice cushy deal through one of the unions. I guess he really loved that dog. Casso looks up at Kaplan. What do I owe your friends for this? Kaplan just waves him off, though. Someone was looking to hurt you, and they won't take any money under those circumstances. This is just to show you the kind of thing they're capable of. Well, isn't that nice of us? He closes the file. Casso has never known a cop to do something for nothing, and he's sure there'll be a price to pay at some point. Pass along my thanks.

12:33Sure thing. It's like I said, they're the real deal. Anthony Casso leaves the bar, finally knowing exactly who tried to kill him. But even though he now has the names of his assailants, that doesn't mean they'll be easy to find. He soon discovers that Jimmy Heidel and his accomplices have all gone into hiding. So Casso sends his soldiers out looking for them. But despite an intensive search, weeks pass without any sign of the three men. So once again, he turns to Burton Kaplan's friends in the NYPD. Perhaps they can succeed where his men couldn't. Kaplan, of course, assures him that they'll be able to help.

13:11For the low price of$35 ,000, they'll find and kidnap Jimmy Heidel. Casso agrees to the terms, but emphasizes that Heidel must be delivered to him alive. He wants a chance to interrogate him. Casso still thinks someone else was behind the attack, and he has to know who it was. But despite Kaplan's confidence in his friends, more weeks pass, and even with the cops on the case, there's still no sign of Jimmy Heidel. Casso grows impatient with the lack of progress. But just when he's beginning to think that these two cops of Kaplan's aren't as impressive as he thought, he gets a beep on his pager.

13:47It's from Kaplan. He says his friends have finally picked up Heidel, and Casso is thrilled. He tells Kaplan to have Heidel delivered to the parking lot of a Toys R Us in Brooklyn. and Casso will take it from there. By the time Casso and his driver get to the agreed location, it's dark and the toy store is closed. Casso's car is the only one in the lot. A few minutes pass and then a few more. Finally, Casso sees Bert Kaplan's sedan turn into the parking lot. He stops his car next to Casso's and gets out. He tells Casso that the others are on their way, but Casso paces the lot impatiently. He won't be satisfied until he gets his hands on Heidel.

14:26Eventually, the lights of a third car turn into the lot. It parks a short distance away, and Kaplan goes over while Casso stays back. The less contact he has with these people, the better. They're still cops, after all. A few moments later, Kaplan comes over and hands Casso a set of car keys. He nods back at the third car across the lot and says the cops have left Heidel in the trunk. They've cuffed him, bound his feet with duct tape, and stuffed his mouth with a handkerchief. Still, despite all their precautions, they had to knock him out because he was making such a racket, yelling and banging his feet against the inside of the trunk.

15:01So now he's got a bump on his head, but other than that, as promised, Heidel is unharmed. Casso takes the keys and wanders over to the car. As he's walking, he spots another vehicle by the entrance to the parking lot. Standing by its hood are two men who are looking in Casso's direction. One is tall and heavyset, with gold chains that glint in the darkness. The other man is skinny with sunken eyes. Casso glances at Kaplan, who's just behind him, and asks who they are. Kaplan jokes that they're his police escort. But Casso doesn't laugh. He tells Kaplan and his two friends to get out of here. He's got work to do.

15:39The other men know when they're not welcome, so they get in their cars and drive away, leaving Casso alone with Jimmy Heidel. Casso pops the trunk, and Heidel is curled up inside, not moving, his face bloody and swollen. Anthony Casso smiles. Whether Heidel talks or not, Casso is going to enjoy this.

16:04You there! Tis I, Queen Mortuana of the Night Realm, a.k.a. Kate McKinnon, and her raven minion Jojo, a.k.a. Emily Lynn. If you do not download and binge my show, heads will roll, air apparent, on Audible, I will cut off your head! Oh no! Maybe just tell them about the guest stars, like Richard Kind, Carrie Coon, Jimmy Fallon, at all. But they were in it, and if you don't listen to them, then I will cut off your tongue, then cut off your head, and then put the tongue in the head hole. Aw, you tried. Listen now exclusively on Audible and download the Audible app today, or off with your head! I'm kidding.

16:51I'm Raza Jaffray, and in the new season of The Spy Who, we open the file on Benedict Arnold, the spy who betrayed the American Revolution. America is fighting to free itself from the British Empire, and one of its foremost generals is Benedict Arnold. He's a smuggler turned battlefield hero and admired for his aggressive tactics. But when a war wound, a new wife, debts and politics test his loyalty to the Max, he turns spy and devises a plot to shatter the revolution and help Britain capture rebel commander-in-chief General George Washington. And that plot would make him the most infamous traitor in US history.

17:35Follow the Spy Who now, wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also listen to the full season of The Spy Who Betrayed the American Revolution early and ad-free on Audible.

18:02After Burt Kaplan and the cops leave the Toys R Us parking lot, Anthony Casso drives Jimmy Heidel to the house of another associate who lives nearby. Casso shows up unannounced and says he needs to borrow the basement for a few days. The owner quickly decides it's a good time to take his family out of town for the weekend. And with the family gone, Casso takes Heidel out of the car and drags him down to the basement. The young man has been beaten badly by the police. He's only semi-conscious as Casso straps him to a chair. Casso unwraps the duct tape around Heidel's head and takes out the handkerchief that was stuffed in his mouth.

18:37He does want him to talk, after all. But Casso tortures Heidel all night. and by the next morning, the young man has confessed that he shot Casso and claims that the hit was ordered by senior members of the Gambino family. But it's not enough just for Casso to hear it. He wants other monsters to know that he's found the man who tried to kill him, that he's smart enough and dangerous enough to track down his would-be assassins. Then, no one will ever mess with him again. So he invites senior members of both the Lucchese and Gambino families to the basement to hear Heidel's confession. Only once that's done, does Casso prepare to kill him.

19:15He's just about to pull the trigger when Heidel asks Casso to do him one favor. He asks Casso to dump his body in the street so he's found and his mother can collect the insurance money. Casso solemnly promises he will and then shoots Heidel 15 times. But Casso doesn't keep his word. He tosses Heidel's body into a nearby waterway where it will never be found. Jimmy Heidel's family won't see a cent of the insurance money. But now that Heidel has been dealt with, Casso can turn his attention to the accomplices. During his interrogation, Heidel confirmed the information Casso got from the police.

19:51He was working with Nicky Guido and Bobby Baring, but Guido and Baring haven't been seen for weeks. But eventually, one of Casso's lookouts spots a red sports car outside Guido's house. He gives a license plate to his boss, and Casso then asks Kaplan to get his cop friends to run a check on the plate. If the car belongs to Nicky Guido, then they can follow it. Selling information from the criminal record database is a way many police officers make a quick buck. It's one of the most common forms of corruption in the department. But in theory, this information is tightly controlled. Detectives are supposed to get approval from their superiors to look up a name, and logs are reviewed regularly.

20:31But Detective Stephen Caracapa is in the Major K-Squad. As a highly regarded detective, few would think to question him anyway. but conveniently, Caracapa also acts as his unit's coordinator. He liaises between detectives and their sergeants and signs off on reports on behalf of his boss. That means Caracapa is in a position to approve his own requests and ensure any suspicious activity on the system never gets flagged. So Anthony Casso's latest request is an easy assignment for Caracapa. And shortly before dawn on November 11, 1986, he heads to NYPD headquarters. He grabs a coffee and strolls into the Major K-Squad room.

21:11It's not yet 6 a.m., and Caracapa is the only one there. Most of the guys in his unit don't get in until after 10. He sets his coffee down and logs into the squad's computer terminal. The NYPD criminal history computer consists of a small black-and-white screen with a keyboard attached. The machine is state-of-the-art. It allows Caracapa to see if someone has ever been arrested along with all their known addresses. To search the system, Caracapa must identify himself by his name and tax number. This security measure means that all searches in the database can be traced back to a specific cop. Next, he needs to enter the case number associated with his inquiry.

21:50Caracapa is here to run a search on Nicky Guido, but he isn't part of the team looking into Casso's attempted murder, and he doesn't want to take any unnecessary risks. So first, Caracapa enters the number for a case he is working on and starts by running a few names connected to it. Only then does he look up Nicky Guido using the same case number. That way, if someone ever audits the logs, they'll just assume Guido is connected to Caracappa's case and think nothing more of it. And just as the first of his fellow officers trickle into the squad room, Caracappa finishes his task and logs out of the system.

22:25Then, with the information from Caracappa in hand, Bert Kaplan soon comes back to Casso and says they have what he's looking for. but it's going to cost him. The price is$4 ,000. Casso is incensed. He gave the cops an extra five grand for the good job they did with Jimmy Heidel, but now they're demanding almost as much for a license plate check. Casso thinks they're getting greedy, so he decides to find Nicky Guido on his own. Casso wonders if perhaps Guido has some other property where he's hiding away. He talks to a contact at the local gas company and asks him to search their files. The man soon comes back with a street address in Brooklyn.